1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to wireless communications. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to wireless network Client-Server implementations that provide improved response times.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless radio access networks have been using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 3G-1X technology for voice and data communications for some time. CDMA 3G-1X technology provides network voice and data transmission speeds of up to 153.6 kilobits per second. Because of such speeds, CDMA 3G-1X technology has been able to improve mobile services such as wireless Internet access, email, general data, and video services, while providing high quality voice communications.
While CDMA 3G-1X technology is an improvement over prior technologies such as CDMA 2G and CDMA 2.5G, CDMA 3G-1X networks have suffered from various limitations. For example, from a user perspective, internet data round trip delays on CDMA 3G 1X networks are unacceptably high since those round trip delays are not capable of providing internet service comparable to those available with LAN, cable based and dial-up broadband networks.
Another problem with 3G 1X networks is that they do not provide “always-on-connectivity” similar to what cable and DSL networks provide. When an end-user starts data service on a wireless client, the 3G 1X base station assigns a fundamental channel for the data session and assigns a supplementary channel (SCH) based on the amount of data being transferred. The base station relinquishes the assigned SCH once the base station has transferred the data in the buffer. The base station must assign a new SCH for the subsequent data as it arrives. Unfortunately, assigning and relinquishing SCHs is inefficient because assigning an SCH is a time-consuming process that introduces unwanted delays. Current 3G 1X network implementations typically require approximately five 20 millisecond (ms) frames, that is, 100 ms of latency, when assigning an SCH. Such delays can be completely unacceptable if SCHs are assigned and unassigned based on rapidly changing communication requirements.
Unfortunately, assigning and relinquishing SCHs is important to the operation of 3G 1X networks. 3G 1X networks operate on the basic assumption that 3G 1X packet data traffic is bursty, exhibiting brief durations of high traffic separated by much larger durations of no traffic. It would be very inefficient to dedicate a permanent traffic channel to a packet data call. However, if a 3G 1X system is not designed correctly the bursty aspects of 3G 1X data traffic can seriously degrade service quality because of a reduction in available power. Thus, a key 3G 1X network design issue is ensuring that a CDMA channel that carries voice and data calls does so with negligible impact to the service quality of both. Thus, supplemental channels (SCHs) are assigned and unassigned as required.
In view of the need for SCH assignments, and in further view of the delays associated with such assignments, methods, devices, and systems that reduce the required number of SCH assignments would be beneficial.